KOTA KINABALU, Oct 4 (Bernama) — Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg leads the list of 1,376 recipients of Sabah state honours, decorations and medals in conjunction with the 71st Official Birthday Celebration of the Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin on Saturday.
Abang Johari is one of the four recipients of the Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (SPDK), the highest state honour of Sabah, which carries the title “Datuk Seri Panglima.”
Also conferred with the SPDK are State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, and businessman Datuk Kumar Prabakaran.
State Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Peto Galim, and State Assistant Minister of Finance Tan Lee Fatt are among 87 recipients of the second-highest state honour, the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK), which carries the title “Datuk.”
Other recipients include Kukusan assemblyman Rina Jainal, Tanjong Kapor assemblyman Chong Chen Bin, Banggi assemblyman Mohammad Mohamarin, and appointed assemblyman, Dr Aliakbar Gulasan.
Among other PGDK recipients are 5th Brigade Commander Brig Gen Mohd Zamri Abdullah, Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (JPJKK) Assistant Director (Resource Policy Management) SAC Saiman Kasran, and Sabah JPJKK Chief SAC Mohd Azhar Hamin.
Other PGDK recipients include Sabah Chief Syariah Judge Ahadin Arinen, Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Josie Lai Mei Sing, Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Community Development and People’s Well-being Maria Chong, and Sabah Public Works Department Director Philemon Lajawai.
Sabah Lundayeh Association Deputy President Willie Tadam, Chairman of the Women’s Council of the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) Joanna Kitingan, and University College Sabah Foundation (UCSF) Vice-Chancellor Dr Rafiq Idris also receive the PGDK.
Members of the media in Sabah are also among the recipients, with The Borneo Post Sabah Editor-in-Chief Datuk Chiew Nai Wen and Senior News Writer Philip Golingai receiving the PGDK, while Sabah Information Department Director Jainisah Mohd Noor is among the 116 recipients of the Ahli Setia Darjah Kinabalu (ASDK).
Meanwhile, Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Ewon Benedick, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam, and Universiti Malaysia Sabah Vice-Chancellor Datuk Kassim Mansor are among the 10 recipients of the Justice of Peace (JP) award.
A total of 274 individuals are conferred with the Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (ADK), with 320 receiving the Bintang Setia Kinabalu (BSK); Bintang Kinabalu (BK) (421 recipients); and Pingat Perkhidmatan Terpuji (PPT) (144 recipients).
